Summary of the course
We’ve now come to the end of our course on liver transplantation. In this article, we would like to summarise all the things you have learnt in our activities. Week …
Course: Liver Transplant: the Ins and Outs
Increasing the number of donor organs available
You are familiar with the rapidly increasing incidence of liver disease globally and we have touched briefly on the fact that this means that waiting lists for liver transplants are …
What are the biggest challenges in the field of liver transplantation?
Liver transplantation is now considered a successful procedure, so many patients with end-stage liver disease will be listed for transplantation. This has led to our first major challenge. There is …
The history of liver transplantation
It might seem a bit unorthodox here, but we thought we would start this week with a tour of the history of transplantation. It makes sense to do it at …
Rejection: why does it happen?
In several previous steps we have mentioned the need for patient to take immunosuppressive drugs after the transplant. These reduce the ability of the recipient’s immune system to damage the …
Post-operative care of the patient
You’ve now heard how complex the surgical procedure is for a transplant patient. We’ve heard from a patient, Alan Hyde, a surgeon, and also from some of the physicians in …
Types of donor organ: a reminder
In this activity we meet Dr Andrew Owen who is an Anaesthetist and Academic Clinical Fellow working in the Centre for Liver Research. Andy has taken time out from his …
The recipient coordinator
Now we go on to meet our Recipient Coordinator Peter Ashcroft. We learn more about his role and how it differs from the experiences of Janice and the donor team. …
Transplant coordinators – our key to success
In our next two short films we meet a donor (Janice Bayliss) and recipient (Peter Ashcroft) coordinator based in the Liver unit here in Birmingham. These specialist nurses are vital …
Introduction to Week 2
In this video Professor Phillip Newsome, a consultant hepatologist at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and director of the Centre for Liver Research in Birmingham gives you an introduction to our …
The patient experience
Your task: watch this interview in which we meet Alan Hyde, a liver transplant patient who was treated in Birmingham. Alan is a fantastic advocate for liver transplantation and acts …
Liver function tests
Before we move on to consider the details of the transplantation procedure and all the different medical professionals involved, we need to consider how doctors can actually tell if someone’s …
Blood and bile – plumbing for beginners
Your task: Watch this video in which Dr Patricia Lalor uses an Anatomage Table, a fantastic visual display system available in the Anatomy department at the University of Birmingham. This …
The who’s who of liver cells
Your tasks: watch this short video in which Dr Patricia Lalor introduces the individual cell types that make up the liver and also shows you how the structure of the …
What does your liver do?
Your tasks: watch this short video in which Dr Patricia Lalor introduces the major functions of the liver. Reflect on any new information or ideas and share your thoughts with …
